Bristow put out one cigarette and lit another.
“As Lisle’s dead, we can’t be absolutely sure,” he said. “But when a man is as scared as Lisle was, he’ll do odd things and take odd chances. He telephoned Francesca, as you know. He thought he’d shaken Scoby and Co. off - but hadn’t. He hoped to get to the Festival Hall Terrace in time to collect the jewels from Francesca and send her away safely. Again - he didn’t.
“In a despairing effort to keep Francesca out of trouble, he made a fatal mistake. He knew Joy Lessing was involved, and warned Francesca in a letter sent by special delivery. The mistake could only have been made when he knew himself to be absolutely cornered, and almost crazy. To save himself, he told Joy that he’d sent this letter.”
Bristow paused, and Mannering said musingly “I’m catching on, now.”
“It all adds up,” Bristow declared, almost smugly. “Scoby was really scared by then. He had to make sure Francesca couldn’t talk. You know how he tried to. He didn’t know that she had never opened the letter.”
“I can’t understand why she didn’t,” Lorna put in.
“She didn’t know who it was from,” Bristow explained.
“It wasn’t addressed in her father’s hand, but on a typewriter. There had been several telegrams of apology from guests who couldn’t come. Francesca was very much on edge, and - well anyway, she didn’t open it, because it’s been found, the seal unbroken.”
Lorna didn’t comment.
“Dare we ask where?” Mannering ventured mildly.
“That’s a trade secret,” Bristow said. “The whole thing turned on the letter and Joy Lessing’s part in the plot, of course. If Joy’s part were known, the police would be after her at once, she and Scoby would be for it. It’s an odd fact,” went on Bristow, “that Scoby was more scared by danger to Joy than to himself. He’d his other identity all prepared, of course, and she hadn’t. He was to go to Paris and wipe out all traces he’d left in England, and in a few weeks Joy was to join him. If suspicion was aroused against Joy, it could have led to disaster. So he had to make sure she was out of reach of the police.
“You know how he did that,” Bristow went on, “and you know why. The final move was brilliant in its way. Joy knew how Francesca doted on her father, and thought it possible to drive Francesca to suicide. With Lisle’s daughter dead, there was no risk that anything her father had said in the past would be remembered, and implicate Joy.”
Bristow smoothed down his hair.
“Well, you know what they did,” he went on. “You know, or guess, that they were afraid that if Francesca knew about Joy, she might have told Simon. That’s why they kidnapped him.
“But you don’t know why Lisle went back to his office, and - ”
“Whoa back,” interrupted Mannering. “We don’t know a lot of things. Why did Lisle give Francesca that cross, in the first place?”
“He thought it was safe enough,” Bristow declared. “I can’t answer for his reasoning or his frame of mind. Sentiment on Francesca’s twenty-first might have had something to do with it. There are some things I can tell you- - ”
“About what happened on the Festival Hall Terrace, I hope,” Mannering said dryly.
“Oh, yes. There was an unknown third party present,” Bristow told him, with almost ponderous deliberation. “By name . . .”
“Abe Prinny,” murmured Mannering.
Bristow looked almost sour.
“So you did know.”
“I guessed.”
“You probably knew all the time,” agreed Bristow. “Prinny had been offered the jewels by Lisle. They were too big for him, but he looked for a market. Then he discovered the kind of trouble Lisle was in. So he also followed Lisle to Waterloo, and when Scoby had the jewels, Prinny crept up in the dark, and snatched them.
“He wasn’t recognised, but he was suspected. Scoby went to see him next day. Prinny said Lisle had left the cross with him, as evidence that he - Lisle - had the collection. Scoby wasn’t satisfied. Prinny, as you know, was terrified by then. Next we had a squeal from someone who owed Prinny a grudge, and who heard him and Lisle talking. You know what happened. Prinny tried to save himself by naming you, John; you’d been there, and Scoby’d brought you in, too. After we let Prinny go, Scoby’s men saw him, he confessed he’d taken the jewels, and - again to save himself - said he’d given them to you.
“That was what Scoby was ready to believe, but it didn’t save Prinny.”
There was a short silence before Bristow went on: “Well, that’s that.”
“Now for Lisle.”
“Lisle didn’t know what had happened after he’d been knocked out at the Terrace. He came round and rang his flat. A man answered. He guessed it was a policeman, and daren’t go there. He’d nowhere to go, so he went to his office. He had to sooner or later, because his passport was there, and money he needed badly. He’d arranged to see Prinny there, too, but Prinny didn’t turn up.
“Instead, Scoby’s men were waiting. Because Lisle could name Joy, he was killed.”
Mannering shifted his position, and Bristow paused almost expectantly.
“Who told you he was dead?” Mannering asked. “You had a squeal, didn’t you?”
“One of the odd things that happen, John,” Bristow said. “It was Prinny’s wife. She went to keep the appointment instead of Prinny, saw Scoby’s men leave, and heard them talking. So she rang the Yard.”
Mannering said: “I see, Bill,” very quietly.
“I just don’t understand about the letter,” Lorna said. “Francesca was worried because her father was missing, and . . .”
“It arrived during the party. Cissie the maid gave it to her just as she was leaving to go to Waterloo. She didn’t dream it was from Lisle, who hadn’t mentioned it. She had plenty to worry about, and put it in her pocket. It was actually found in the coat pocket taken out of the Thames by the river patrol that night. The other things were handed over, but the letter was dropped and accidentally tucked aside. It was found tonight, when the sergeant in charge used the boat-hook for the first time since Monday. The letter was typewritten and quite legible, and it tells the whole story.”
Mannering didn’t even say: “Trade secret?”
“You’d better have another drink,” Lorna said to Bristow.
It had been a glorious spring; so glorious that the pessimists were already worrying about the bad summer which was sure to follow. And much had happened. Francesca was herself again, and yet not herself, being remote and withdrawn. Simon was her constant companion, but obviously did not know how he stood with her.
Susan Pengelly remained her usual self. Lorna frequently said she wanted to paint the girl, but couldn’t bring herself to ask her to sit.
It was just before dark one evening when Francesca called on the Mannerings, and after a few hesitant minutes told them that she was going to France.
“My father was born there,” she said, “my mother was French, and I feel that I’d like to live there for a while. There is a little money and some property, all mine now. I shall go very soon and only one thing worries me.”
“What’s that?” Mannering asked.
She looked so very beautiful; and remotely sad.
“Simon is the worry,” she said. “I don’t want to hurt him, but I am not in love. I shall never be able to marry him. I’ve told him what I’m going to do, and he talks wildly about coming and living in France near me. Can you - can you think of a way to stop him?”
Mannering and Lorna were very quiet, before Lorna said “Have you told Simon you can’t even think of marriage?”
“Not - not in so many words.”
“He’ll only believe it from you,” Lorna said, “shall I telephone him, and ask him to come here?”
Francesca said: “Will you, please? It will help so much to have you near.”
Francesca and Simon were in the drawing-room, alone, for a long time. Mannering wasn’t quite sure how long.
He was glad that it was at least twenty minutes, for that gave Susan Pengelly time to arrive. Mannering had telephoned her, suggested that she should come, and warned her that when Simon left he would probably be in an execrable mood. She was outside, sitting in Simon’s Triumph.
“I can take it,” she had said. Mannering remembered her pause and her little laugh as she had gone on: “We can’t all have your wife’s matrimonial judgment.”
“And that reminds me,” Mannering had said, “my wife won’t be happy until she’s painted you. She’s wanted to ever since . . .”
“Granted, if she’ll take a risk afterwards, and let you sit for me,” Susan had said. “You’ll make a lovely devil.”
Series Information
Published or to be published by
House of Stratus
Dates given are those of first publication
‘The Baron’ Series
These Titles can be read as a series, or randomly as standalone novels
Title Also Published as:
1 Meet the Baron The Man in the Blue Mask 1937
2 The Baron Returns The Return of the Blue Mask 1937
3 The Baron Again Salute Blue Mask 1938
4 The Baron at Bay Blue Mask at Bay 1938
5 Alias the Baron Alias Blue Mask 1939
6 The Baron at Large Challenge Blue Mask! 1939
7 Versus the Baron Blue Mask Strikes Again 1940
8 Call for the Baron Blue Mask Victorious 1940
9 The Baron Comes Back 1943
10 A Case for the Baron 1945
11 Reward for the Baron 1945
12 Career for the Baron 1946
13 The Baron and the Beggar 1947
14 Blame the Baron 1948
15 A Rope for the Baron 1948
16 Books for the Baron 1949
17 Cry for the Baron 1950
18 Trap the Baron 1950
19 Attack the Baron 1951
20 Shadow the Baron 1951
21 Warn the Baron 1952
22 The Baron Goes East 1953
23 The Baron in France 1953
24 Danger for the Baron 1953
25 The Baron Goes Fast 1954
26 Nest-Egg for the Baron Deaf, Dumb and Blonde 1954
27 Help from the Baron 1955
28 Hide the Baron 1956
29 The Double Frame Frame the Baron 1957
30 Blood Red Red Eye for the Baron 1958
31 If Anything Happens to Hester Black for the Baron 1959
32 Salute for the Baron 1960
33 The Baron Branches Out A Branch for the Baron 1961
34 The Baron and the Stolen Legacy Bad for the Baron 1962
35 A Sword for the Baron The Baron and the Mogul Swords 1963
36 The Baron on Board 1964
37 The Baron and the Chinese Puzzle 1964
38 Sport for the Baron 1966
39 Affair for the Baron 1967
40 The Baron and the Missing Old Masters 1968
41 The Baron and the Unfinished Portrait 1969
42 Last Laugh for the Baron 1970
43 The Baron Goes A-Buying 1971
44 The Baron and the Arrogant Artist 1972
45 Burgle the Baron 1973
46 The Baron - King Maker 1975
47 Love for the Baron 1979
Series by John Creasey
Published by House of Stratus
‘Department ‘Z’’ (28 titles)
‘Dr. Palfrey Novels’ (34 titles)
‘Inspector West’ (43 titles)
‘Sexton Blake’ (5 titles)
‘The Baron’ (47 titles) (writing as Anthony Morton)
‘The Toff’ (59 titles)
along with:
The Masters of Bow Street
This epic novel embraces the story of the Bow Street Runners and the Marine Police, forerunners of the modern police force, who were founded by novelist Henry Fielding in 1748. They were the earliest detective force operating from the courts to enforce the decisions of magistrates. John Creasey’s account also gives a fascinating insight into family life of the time and the struggle between crime and justice, and ends with the establishment of the Metropolitan Police after the passing of Peel’s Act in 1829.
Select Synopses
Gideon’s Day
Meet the Baron
John Mannering (The Baron) makes his first appearance in this volume. Lord Fauntley cannot help showing off both his daughter and the security under which his precious jewels are kept. Mannering finds himself attracted to both .... Money is tight and so he plans a burglary, but this fails and unexpected consequnces result. The relationship with Lorna Fauntley flourishes, and a series of high profile thefts and adventures ensure Mannering’s future, so he believes, until Lorna equates him with The Baron. One of the many further twists in this award winning novel occurs when the police appear to seek Mannering’s help, only to have everything turned upside down as the plot develops . . .
Introducing The Toff
Whilst returning home from a cricket match at his father’s country home, the Honourable Richard Rollison - alias The Toff - comes across an accident which proves to be a mystery. As he delves deeper into the matter with his usual perseverance and thoroughness, murder and suspense form the backdrop to a fast moving and exciting adventure.
www.houseofstratus.com
Table of Contents
Copyright
About the Author
1: The Body in the River
2: Day Into Night
3: The Station and the River
4: The Chances of Survival
5: The Worried Young Man
6: Consultation with an Expert
7: A Man and his Friends
8: A Half-Tale of a Frightened Man
9: The Representative of Big Interests
10: The Whisper of Suspicion
11: Mannering Gets Home Late
12: Mannering Misses a Party
13: A Visit to Ephraim Scoby
14: A Detective Gives a Warning
15: The Curiosity of a Red-Head
16: A Welcome Home for Mannering
17: An Ordeal for Francesca Lisle
18: A Measure of Agreement
19: Mannering Receives Instructions
20: News from the Sûreté Générale
21: A Visit by Night
22: 93 Forth Road
23: The Final Fear of All
24: The Return of Joy
25: The Love of Francesca
Series Information
Select Synopses